M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Nudity, Violence
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer,
Online Co-Op
Engine
Proprietary Engine
WHERE TO PLAY
DIGITAL
Description
Path of Exile 2 is a next generation free-to-play Action RPG created by Grinding Gear Games. Journey across the deadly continent of Wraeclast, meeting multiple immersive cultures while facing off against evil in many forms. Path of Exile 2 features twelve character classes, 240 Skill Gems, hundreds of equipment base types, a six-act campaign, more than a hundred unique boss fights, a deep endgame system and so much more. Play with your friends without losing any progress with couch co-op, cross-play and cross-progression.
A game mechanic that feels like it's popping up everywhere now, mouseover tooltips feel essential for modern gaming. It's difficult to play?Civ 7?without the ability to instantly look up information about a building I'm hovering over, and though?Avowed's in-dialogue Lore system is really great, it's still sorely missing from other aspects of the game that could use more explaining. Games like?Baldur's Gate 3?and?Path of Exile 2?have implemented this feature flawlessly, and I really think tooltips work wonders in making the often complex gaming landscape of 2025 feel more accessible.
I returned to?Civilization 6,?for what might be the last time for a long time, to prepare for?Civilization 7?in January this year. In terms of sheer hours played, I'm sure I played more?Civ 6?than any other game this month over about three completed Standard Speed games. In terms of new releases, I played a lot of?Hyper Light Breaker?on release and am eagerly awaiting some more updates before I return to the Early Access, but this month was a bit light on new releases I played. February looks?stacked?though, I have no doubt my time playing video games is going to double or triple.
To me, the most satisfying game sound effect in recent memory is the punch sound from?Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Every punch feels impactful and is mixed like a movie sound effect – like a punch from one of the Indiana Jones movies, even. It's always great to get the chance to beat up fascists in games, and?Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's pulpy punch sound effect makes it all the more satisfying.
If the list of classes in the in-game Support Gem selection window is to be trusted, I'm very excited to play as a Duelist again. It was my main class in the first Path of Exile, and if it ever comes with the sword family of skills and weapons, I'm definitely doing yet another Cyclone build.
In my opinion, it really depends on what's on offer. If you have to pay half the price of the main game for nothing but a few days' advanced access to it, I don't think that's worth it at all. But if you get pre-order bonuses like in-game MTX currency, access to future DLCs, or other digital goodies, I don't see anything wrong with it. For example,?Civ VII?has several pre-order bonuses, including one that grants access to the full game half a week earlier than everyone else. But this top-tier preorder pack also comes with future DLC, extra Leaders, cosmetics, and other things that justify its high price.
I have been absolutely hooked on?Path of Exile 2?since it came out in early December (or, rather, launched into Early Access in early December). The boss fights are the best ARPG bosses I've ever fought – the Colossus and Bog Witch are particularly amazing fights in my opinion – and the combat, build variety, and sense of progression has been really satisfying so far. I am almost at the endgame, which I have heard is a bit underdeveloped and not in a great state, but I've had an absolute blast so far and can't wait to try out the second half of the story and other classes as the PoE 2 EA continues!
I'm going to be a little biased and say it's the Monk. I've been killing bosses recklessly with Tempest Bell and Tempest Flurry while tanking big hits with Evasion and Energy Shields. Playing Monk has felt much smoother than my experience with Warrior, Sorceress, and Witch, and I can't wait to fully realize the endgame build I've been planning with this class.
The final boss of Act 3 gave me a lot of trouble while I was going through the campaign, and I mostly blame that on my Warrior build being extremely slow. I had to shift my focus around my basic mace attack and Sunder because Rolling Slam and Supercharged Slam were so slow that I kept getting blasted by the boss' area attacks mid-animation.
I still think the Warrior needs a buff, particularly to its Mace skills for the early levels. I know that there are more weapon types and skills coming in the future, and I'm well aware that Warriors can one-shot endgame bosses, but as it stands now, the leveling experience as this class feels miserable with how slow Mace attacks are and with all the area denial attacks that enemies have.?
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